On Jan. 5 Raven Robotics, the FHSD Robotics team, received their challenge for this season from FIRST Robotics, the organization that sponsors robotics competitions nationally.

12 FHN students are on the team along with 30 other FHSD students and 10 sponsors. Raven Robotics must build a robot that efficiently shoots frisbee disks into a goal then climbs a tower. The team has until Feb. 19 to build their robot. During the six weeks, Raven Robotics works on their robot three nights a week at FHC for a total of 10 to 12 hours a week.

“Crazy,” sponsor Brian Stemmermann said. “That’s what the build season is– chaotic, busy. It’s educational, yet it’s fun.”

Each team begins with the same kit but are allowed to purchase additional parts if they feel they need to. Teams are required to build their robot completely on their own; they are not allowed to buy already assembled and functioning parts or obtain any external help.

All robots are required to be under 120 pounds, 112 inches in perimeter and 54 inches in diameter. The total cost of the robot, discluding the beginning kit, may not exceed $4,000 and no individual part may exceed $400.

“I help program and do the wiring,” senior Matt Bries said. “I like the challenge of it– trying to beat the other teams and make it to the championships.”

Competitions begin with eight to 16 qualifying rounds, in each of which teams of three robots are chosen at random to work together to score as many points as they can. After the qualifying rounds, the top eight teams go through finals, which are double elimination. “FIRST Robotics emphasizes cooperation,” Stemmermann said. “It means students should be competitive, but still cooperate with their teammates, and other teams.”

On Feb. 19, the build season ends. Raven Robotics plans to attend the St. Louis Regionals March 14-16, and hopes to attend the Crossroads Regional Terre Haute in Indiana April 4-6.

“The final product is not the robot itself,” Headm sponsor Mark Krueger said. “The final product is the kids learning how to work together.”